White eye

Irishcobs

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Kind of hard to explain but one of the horses at work has a white eye as in when he looks normal not frightened or anything the white of his eye shows. On this side he is a little bit more jumping, but has never been hit or anything nasty on his head, so has no reason to be. Could it be that his sight is worse in this eye because of the white showing?
 

Sarah_Jane

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It is quite normal I once had a horse that 'showed the white of its eye'. It causes no problem and is a natural thing if a little unusual.
 

KatB

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Its quite a common thing, my boy has s lightly white eye. SOme people call it a Pig eye and say it means stubborness and a nasty streak, some say it is the sign of a good horse. Personally, doesnt bother me!
 

Irishcobs

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He's very cheeky but definitely not nasty or stubborn.
He's very talented. Will pop anything, well he is a 3* eventer.

So you don't think he sees differently with it then? maybe he just normally can't see as well with that eye. Or maybe he is just generally jumpier on that side anyway and its nothing to do with his eye.
 

Bess

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A friend's horse has the whites of its eyes showing on both eyes, it looks a bit startled all the time. Managed to get to Intermediate level eventing though, I don't think it has any effect on their sight.
 

judymoon

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Sometomes called 'wall eye' . In TBs it can be an indication of one to be watched, but not taken to seriously. Two wall eyes on a chestnut filly might make you take extra care! but generally no issue at all
 

BBs

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Snoopy has it.
Some of the trakenhers at the stud including a couple of the stallions had it.

But what Im thinking of isnt Wall Eye its like a membrane. Goes off to look for a pic of snoop.

Vx
 

KatB

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Agree BB's, wall eye is a blue eye. White eye is the third eyelid or membrane near the tearduct being white, with the actual eyeball having normal pigmentation. It doesnt effect eyesight.
 

virtual

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[ QUOTE ]
Sometomes called 'wall eye' . In TBs it can be an indication of one to be watched, but not taken to seriously. Two wall eyes on a chestnut filly might make you take extra care! but generally no issue at all

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think she's talking about a wall eye - where the whole of the eye is a lighter colour (like this http://www.kellas-stud.co.uk/Colours/Wall%20eye%202.jpg), more that there is white visible around the edges (like this http://www.ebsqart.com/Art/1996/301566/HorsesEyeStudysold_275_275.jpg). Is that right?

If it's just white around the eye, this has no effect on vision (although ofcourse that doesn't stop your horse having an unrelated problem in that eye). Some horses with discoloured eyes do have visual problems in that eye, but most don't.
 

KatB

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Yes thats it Virtual. The links dont work though
frown.gif
 

MurphysMinder

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Murph has one eye like this. I've heard it called a peacock eye. Doesn't affect vision. It can give him a bit of a scary look and we take pics from the other side. Quite a few people have recognised him who knew him previously cos of the eye. I know some people think it is the sign of a good horse, and certainly he has proved a gem, though does have his moments!
 

dieseldog

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What your describing is actually a breed characteristic of an Appaloosa, they should all have 'human' looking eyes. A lot of coloureds and other 'odd' coloured horses have it. Spot looks partically attractive with his.
 

Chex

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Not sure if this is the same thing, but what Chex has in his left eye (right in the pic). If it is, its caused no problems at all, just seems like a different pigment or something.
DSCF1505.jpg
 

brighteyes

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It is because the horse has a slightly smaller iris on that side -ie a pigmentation issue. Vision is not affected, but it has led to the horseman's tale of horses showing this characteristic having split personalities or being of uncertain temperament - just like 'chestnut mare'! It is wholly unjustified.

A wall eye, as has been said, is one showing blue pigmentation of the iris (normally brown in the horse) - either pure china blue, or blue mixed with brown/hazel etc. The eye can be 'wall' and white, if the blue iris has the creamy white outer area as well.
 

annaellie

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My filly has white showing, We had her mum and she was the same though she had a fir bit of white showing, the two of them never seemed to show any trouble with eyesight.
 
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